Folding-seat lock



June 22 1926, 1,589,460

R. H. COSGROVE FOLDINGI SEAT Loox Filed July 1.5, 1924 R0 WE h. COSSROVE IN V EN TOR.

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Patented June 22, 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE..

ROWE H. COSGROVE, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO THE STUDEBAKER COR- PORATION, OF SOUTH BEND, INDIANA, AND DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

FOLDING- SEAT LOCK.

Application filed July 15,

1 This invention relates to automobiles and particularly to those having folding seats, and the principal object is to provide means for holding such seats in folded position and to prevent bouncing and rattling of the same. j

Another object is to provide a folding seat with means for engaging a resilient socket member carried by the body of the automobile.

' A further object is to provide an automobile body having a seat provided with a folding back and bottom, a knob secured to the back of the seat and a socket member secured to the automobile body, said socket member yhaving a resilient gripping part therein adapted to receive the knob on the back of the seat when the seat lis in folded position. y

The above being among the objects of the present invention, the same `consists of certain features of construction and combination of parts to be hereinafter described with reference to the accompanying draw ing and then claimed7 having the above and other objects in view.

In the drawing which illustrates a suitable embodiment of the present invention, and in which like numerals refer to like parts throughout vthe several different views,

Figure 1 is a fragmentary sectional view taken longitudinally through the center of an automobile in which thepresent invention is embodied, showing the folding seat in open position in full lines and in closed position by dotted lines.

Figure 2 is a rear view rof the seat shown in Figure 1 and fragments of the co-operating portions of the automobile body.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the corner of the seat back to which is secured the knob forming part of the present invention.

Figure t is a fragmentary view from the rear of the seat showing the relative positions of the knob and socket member when in engagement with each other.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary perspective View showing the socket member mounted on the automobile body.

Figure 6 is a side view of the socket member.

Figure 7 is an enlarged section of the 1924. `semi No. 726,207.

socket member taken on the line 7-7 of Figure 6. l

In automobiles equipped with thek socalled coach type bodies in which there are two rows of seats and but one door on each side of the body, it is usually necessary to provide means for moving thefront seat on the side opposite vthe drivers seat out of the way to permit ingress or egress of the passengers to or from the rear seats through 'the door which is usually in line with the front seats. It is the conventional practice to provide such seats with a pivoted back and to pivot the bottom of the seat on brackets at its forward end, allowing the back to be folded over the bottom and to pivot the whole as a unit forwardly about the bottom pivots to a position adjacent .the front edge of the door, thereby allowing suflicient room therebehind for the ingress of passengers to or egress from the rear seats. The present invention relates to means for. holding such seats in folded position in such a manner as to prevent` bouncing or rattling of the same.

In the accompanying drawing is shownl an automobile body having sides 11, a door 12, floor 13 and body frame cross member 14. VIn accordance with this inventiona folding seat vis shown comprising a back 15 pivoted at 16 to a seat bottom 17. Secured to the bottom of the seat'17, lat the forward edge thereof are two brackets 18, one'only of which is apparent in the side view, disposed equally on each side of the center of the seat. AThe brackets 18 are pivoted at 19 to the upwardly projecting arms of the brackets 2O bolted to the body frame cross member 14.

Secured to the under side of the seat bottom 17 adjacent the rear edge thereof is a leg 21 for holding the seat in proper elevated position when in use. From such construction it is readily apparent that the back 15 maybe folded down over the bottom 17 about the pivot point 16, and then both the back 15 and bottom 17 may be pivoted forwardly about the point 19 to a position adjacent the front edge of the door 12, thus providing sufficient space therebehind for the passengers passing through the door 12 to'or from the seats in the rear.

To hold the seat in the desired. folded position, a plate member 22 is secured to the vlOll side of the seat back l5 adjacent the upper and outer. edge thereof as shown particularly Well' in` Figure 3. The plate 22 is secured to the seat back by screws or other suitable means and is provided; With a projecting shankv 23 ternfiinatingin a` knob 24. Secured to body ll adjacent the forward edge of the dooil l2, preferably tothedoor post 25 which is situated at that point, and relatively close to the Hooi-13' is asocket member comprisingthe casing 26 and spring 27.V The casing-26` is preferably U shaped? With the upper edge of the U fiared out- Wardly to better 'guide the knob24thereinto and is provided withVA an: inwardly turned The spring` 27" mayV be of" outer`Y edge- 28. j strip materiall bent somewhat Ui shaped to lie behind theinwardly'turned flange 28`of thebottomzol'the llt-Whichy itself is normally-v enough small'er Vthan the knob24t'o .be spread by engagement therewith and constantly exert a pressurev thereon: The constricted portion above the bottomA isi such asto prevent the knob 24 from pulling outj of' the bottom or" the spring 27'd`ue toany tendency of the seat to bounce.

It" Will be evident thatvvhenthe seat isV foldedorwardjthe knob 2L'enters the cas-4 ing 26 and" passing through the. constricted portion of' the spring- 27/resiliently engages the bottom of the latter. TWhen in this position theknob 24 hangs in the spring 27` and carries approximately` halfof the Weight of' the seat in such amanner as to prevent any bouncing or rattlingof the same.

Although I have shown but one adapta tion of'the present invention in the accompanying! drawing, it is evident that it may be adapted to meeta variety of' conditions andv applications,l and" formal; changes may It' willl be noted that. the bottonibe made in the specific embodiment of the invention described Without departingfrom the spirit and substance ot the broad@ inven tion, the scope of Which is commensurate With the appended claims.-

l. In combination, an automobile-v body havingiadoor post and a floor, a seat pivotally supported on said Hoor, a back pivotally supported onV said seat, a projecting knob secured to said back, and a socket member securedto-y said door post having` af resilient member. thereinl toengageV said knoblwhen; saidVV back is folded over on said'V seat? andf saidseat and said back-are ro'tatedlforwardiy as a unit about'the pivotal;i osaid seat' to thereby secure said back against saidiseat and secure said seat and" back; againsts vertical4 movement. i

2. In an automobile bodyj the combination of a seat having a bottom pivotally-fsupport edY on the body door andl a* back pivot'edEV to said bottom, a-proj ect'ingfknob `secured ftothef' side offsaidi back, asocketmember securedtoy 'the sideA of* said bodyv andy adapted" tof re'- ceive saidknob andsuppor-tv saidseat against movement' When said' bottom: is' swungi for-"- W-ardly and? sai d back4 is folded onv said: bot? tom', said `socket member 'comprising a4 casing having divergent edge portions and al U shaped spring supportedat its endsin-said socket; said springl having a: knob receiving portion atA its inner endl and aconstricted passageV adjacent thereto tol` prevent'V move'- ment ofi' said knob when inserted?l in saidsocket.

8. In coinbinatiom an automobile body having a" floor, a seat pivotally supported-on saidiioor,V abackpivotally supportedlon saidI seat', a projecting knobfsecuredadjacent the' top of said" bacln a socket' member'secured to said body adjacent said iioor to engage said knob when" said" back is; folded" onf said seat""a.nd said seat and back-are". rotated as a unit about the pivotall axis of" said' seat to thereby secure saidI seat. and" back' against movement: l 4 j Signed by me at Detroit', Michigan, A., this'8th dayof July, 1924'.

ROWE I-'I COS'GROVE. 

